There's Always A Way
by NightlyBlueDemons
Summary: Lazytown's local hero and dance teacher, friends or maybe more? One shot. Adult Sportacus & Stephanie


_**Hello everyone. I'm a total adult Sportacus/Stephanie shipper. This is my fist lazytown short story. Hope you enjoy! Please review!**_

'Bye Miss S' shouted little Tilly Draker, her pigtails bouncing as she ran to her mother. Waving to her dance teacher she was ushered into her mother's car all the while giving detailed chatter of what they had learnt in class today.

Stephanie Meanswell smiled to herself as she watched her last pupil leave for the day and then walked back into her dance studio to tidy up.

Stephanie was now the proud owner of Lazytown's first dance school. She had moved back to Lazytown after college and with some financial help from her Uncle had managed to set herself up in business. When she had started college her dream had to be on the stage. Her parents, who had never been particularly well off had not been able to fully pay for her tuition and so Stephanie had begun giving dance lessons on the side for a bit of extra cash to help her through.

In doing so she had accidently stumbled across what she now realised she loved doing more than anything; teaching. She had left her theatre course halfway through collage and had taken a fast track teaching course instead.

A year on she was as happy as she could ever remember. She had classes Monday to Friday and she occasionally ran a lunchtime dance club at Lazytown's school.

Sighing in happiness Stephanie walked across the studio, pushing the bar back to the side of the room. Momentarily glancing at herself in the wall of mirrors she was struck how while inside she still felt as if she was a young girl living her dream, the body of a woman stared back at her. Now living away from her parents and uncle she had finally escaped the brutally short haircuts she used to be given.

Her vibrant pink hair was now long and wavy. Reaching up she freed it from its ballet bun, allowing her hair to reach most of the way down her back.

Fishing the remote of her cd player from her pocket she selected the track she wanted.

The music echoed its way around the room and closing her eyes she willed her body to remember the routine she had danced at her last show in college.

Allowing herself to sway into a rhythm she raised her arms into the air tilting her body to one side. Slowly, inch by inch, she fell into the routine, which carried her gracefully around the room.

Unbeknownst to her she was no longer alone. While she had been lost in her dancing her old friend had arrived at the studio having just rescued a nearby kitten.

Sportacus forced himself to take a measured breath as he watched the woman before him move her lithe, tightly clad body around the room with such sensuality. Her eyes where closed as she focused on the music and so he was left undetected.

Now Stephanie was 22 and a grown woman he felt less guilty about the thoughts that had been recently crossing his mind. Ever since she had returned from college, after having been gone for so long, he had found it somewhat difficult to control his thoughts about her. The last year had seemed to close the 17 year age gap between them.

Though, of course, he knew they were just fantasies and he would never dream of letting her know how much he desired her. He was certain she would be disgusted at her old friend.

The music had come to an end during his musing and only Stephanie's small shriek jolted him out of it.

'Sportacus! I didn't hear you come in'

'Forgive me, you where so caught up in your dance I didn't want to disturb you' he explained, which was partially true.

She smiled in reply, her slightly pink cheeks the only hint of her embarrassment at having been caught at an intimate moment.

Clearing his dry throat Sportacus moved over to where she was packing away her things.

Unbeknownst to the current set of children that he kept an eye on, he could actually walk slowly and stand still for whole moments at a time. His constant movement was part of his 'slightly above average superhero' persona. Alone with Stephanie he no longer felt the need to act the childhood hero.

'What'ya doing this side of town Sportacus? Stephanie questioned. Her studio was a fare walk from the playfield where she used to play as a child and also where most of the incidents took place that required rescue.

As if on cue the kitten he had just rescued came strolling through the open studio door.

'Oh, that explains it then' she chuckled grabbing her keys.

Together they ushered the kitten out and back into its own garden in the house next door.

'Walk me home?' Stephanie questioned sweetly.

'Of course'

Gently taking her heavy dance bag off her shoulder and onto his they began the short walk back to the little house she was renting. Her plan in the long run was to buy, but at the moment her fledgling business could only afford her to rent.

'I did have a purpose for coming to see you' he said, breaking the comfortable silence, 'Tommy Draker has been getting into trouble again. I was wondering if you could try and get him to join his sister in dance lessons.'

'You think that may calm him down?'

'Perhaps. He might learn some lessons in directing his energy from you?'

Smiling up at him, 'You and I could run this town'

'We do, don't we?' he teased.

They reached her pretty, white front gate in no time and after pausing slightly awkwardly at it, Stephanie invited Sportacus in.

'I'm making stir-fry for dinner!' she tempted him.

'Only if I can help' he bargained.

Sportacus had been a reasonably frequent dinner visitor in the last 6 months. Their friendship had altered somewhat from the child/mentor dynamic to more of an equal friendship.

Sportacus had quickly discovered how much he enjoyed teasing her. He also enjoyed, almost just as much, her teasing replies in turn. She gave as good as she got. He had always liked that about her, ever since she was a child.

'I'm just going to have a quick shower. If you want to start chopping, all the vegetables are in the bottom draw of the fridge'

'I remember' he smiled, as she dumped her bag in the hallway and disappeared into her very very pink bedroom.

While her house was mostly pink he had noticed proudly that there where blue highlights in almost every room.

Removing his hat and jacket, placing them neatly on the rack in the hall, he walked into the kitchen he was so familiar with.

Moving agilely around the room he began preparing the vegetables. Hearing the shower turn off he decided to start cooking and after rifling in the cupboards for a moment managed to procure the herbs and rice wine needed to make a suitable sauce.

While he was tossing the vegetables around in the wok Stephanie walked into the kitchen. The smell of jasmine followed her lingering in the air. The dampness of her hair had changed its colour to a deep dark pink.

'Yum, that smells amazing' she smiled, leaning over the pan with her eyes closed, inhaling deeply.

Her movement caused Sportacus to abruptly take a step back from the cooker, lest she accidently brush against him. The last thing he wanted was to embarrass them both. First with watching her dance and then being in the same house while she showered he was cursing himself for his lack of control. It had taken all his willpower to focus on chopping vegetables.

He'd had to do multiple push-ups on her kitchen floor while the mushrooms where browning just to attempt to regain his composure.

He was definitely disgusting he decided.

'I'll set the table shall I?' Stephanie smiled while fishing some cutlery out of the cupboard. She flicked the radio on as she passed and began to sing softly under her breath.

While she arranged the cutlery on the small table Sportacus added the noodles to the pan and a splash of sesame oil.

'It's nearly ready Stephanie'.

Turning around to see why she hadn't acknowledged him he gulped slowly. Suppressing the urge to go to her he resolutely turned his attention back to the pan in front of him.

Shaking his head slightly he tried to banish the image of her stretching up to a high cupboard. A large portion of her stomach had been exposed, her pants low on her hips and the fabric of her top taunt across her breasts.

'Sportacus' came a strained voice, 'I can't reach, can you get it for me?'

He sighed to himself – he could never refuse her anything. Turning off the heat on the stove and moving the pan over onto the table he looked up at what she was trying to reach. It was a bottle of wine on a rack above the cupboard.

Coming up behind her he reached up to get the bottle. Maybe because he had been focussing on the fact that she needed his help, or maybe he had subconsciously allowed himself a moment of weakness, but unexpectedly he realised that his whole body was pressed up against hers.

He felt, as opposed to heard, her gasp. The movement caused him to freeze in position, his breath on her neck causing her damp hair to flutter.

Without conscious thought his head lowered to the apex of her neck and not able to help himself his lips ghosted just below her ear. The motion elicited a soft moan to release itself from both of them.

Suddenly, he realised that he had the wine bottle grasped tightly in his hand. Clearing his throat he forced himself to step away. When she turned to face him her face was flushed and she couldn't quite meet his eyes.

Moving over to the dinner table Sportacus began dishing out their dinner, while Stephanie took a grateful gulp from the glass of wine she poured herself.

They ate in awkward silence for a while, Stephanie sipping on her wine and Sportacus his cold water. They had nearly finished eating when Stephanie rose from her seat to get a plastic cork out of the drawer, before she drank too much.

As she walked past Sportacus his strong hand shot out to grasp her small wrist.

'I'm sorry Stephanie' his accent thick in his distress, 'You don't have to worry, it won't happen again'.

'What?' a look of shock blossoming over her face.

Grimacing he realised he would have to explain further.

'I'm sorry I crossed a line between us. It was a lapse of my part and I promise you that I will not allow such a lapse again. Say you forgive the mistakes of an old man and we can just put it behind us.'

'Forgive you?' she stuttered, her wrist still anchored too him.

Her words caused him to release her, and stride across the room to the doorway into her hall. He had done what he had promised himself he wouldn't and now she was disgusted. He had lost his closest friend all because he had allowed his body to act like a teenager.

'Sportacus', came her gentle voice from behind him. Her soft hand came to rest on his arm, pulling him around to face her.

'You are not old' she chided, 'and I won't forgive you'.

'But why? He anguished, 'I promise to you that I will control myself'.

A blush once again blossomed over Stephanie's cheeks as she thought through what she was about to admit.

'I don't want you to control yourself. I don't want you to never allow something like that to happen again. I want you to cross more lines, to allow more lapses in your judgement'.

Sportacus struggled to quench his dry throat. He stared up into her face, she was being sincere.

'Stephanie, do you understand what you are saying?

'Of course, I am not the child you once knew' she assured him, her hand sliding up his arm to sweetly cup his cheek.

'But I am too old for you' he argued.

'You are not' she replied quickly and stubbornly, 'your age doesn't matter to me'.

'People will talk' he continued.

'Let them'

'Your Uncle will kill me'

'He can try'

'You should find someone your own age, someone who is normal, who won't have to leave at any moment to rescue someone, someone who will be able to give you everything you want'

'I don't want any of that, you silly 'slightly above average superhero'. I just want you' and with that her arms slid up and looped themselves around his neck. She hovered for a moment, her lips millimetres from his, waiting for him to give in.

She didn't have to wait long. He had been denying himself for so long that the sensation of her breath on his lips sent him over the edge.

Stephanie barely blinked before she found herself pressed up against her kitchen door, the length of their bodies once again deliciously fused together.

When Sportacus' lips finally strayed from hers they spirited down the arch of her neck causing her to moan deeply. She was thankful that he was pressed so tightly against her, as she was certain her knees wouldn't be able to support her.

He was like a dehydrated man who had been led to water - all consuming. She was just as passionate; she matched him at every turn.

They broke apart for a moment, gasping for breath. Sportacus couldn't help but stare unabashed into the flushed, smiling face of the woman wrapped around him.

'I'm completely in love with you' he admitted in a whisper, having only just realised the fact himself.

'and I think I have been with in love with you since I was 16.'

'Right' he breathed after a moment of stunned silence, unable to quite believe how easily the admissions had slipped from their swollen lips.

'Bedroom?' she twinkled, a sly grin on her face.

This time it was nearly his knees that gave way, and for a man who prided himself in his fitness and physique that was saying something.

XoX

'I am so looking forward to seeing Stephanie' Mayor Meanswell enthused to the woman on his arm.

'Yes, Milford , it was a good idea of yours to surprise her with a visit. I'm sure she'll be very happy to see you', Bessie said, smiling at the man who after many years of waiting had finally plucked up the courage to marry her the previous year.

After holding open the garden gate Milford followed Bessie up the path and knocked on the door of his niece's small house.

Milford was slightly concerned when after knocking a second time, the front door gave way under his hand, slowly creaking open. _Had Stephanie been burgled?_ He thought with concern, _was she alright?_

As they stepped quietly into the house, Bessie was the first to notice a pair of woman's trousers on the floor in the middle of the hallway, then a top and then some very familiar looking blue trousers.

Glancing up at the coat rack she noted the neatly arranged hat and goggles of their local superhero.

'Milford , I think we should probably go!' Bessie said, raising her voice slightly to cover a masculine moan coming from one of the back rooms in the house.

'But Stephanie may be in trouble! Look all at the mess' he protested innocently.

'I think she's just fine' Bessie replied, a knowing smile creeping across her face.

Quickly ushering her protesting husband out of the house and closing the door behind her, she could not help her smile growing.

Bessie was delighted that her niece had finally snagged the man of her dreams, after all, _there's always a way_.


End file.
